1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data transfer processing systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for multi-protocol and multi-format stateful processing.
2. Background and Benefits of the Invention
Data transfer systems typically convey data through a variety of layers, each performing different types of processing. The number of different layers, and their attributes, vary according to the conceptual model followed by a given communication system. Examples include a model having seven layers that is defined by the International Standards Organization (ISO) for Open Systems Interconnection (OSI), and a five-layer model defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) that may be referred to as the “Fibre Channel” model. Many other models have been proposed that have varying numbers of layers, which perform somewhat different functions. In most data communication systems, layers range from a physical layer, via which signals containing data are transmitted and received, to an application layer, via which high-level programs and processes share information. In most of the conceptual layer models, a Transport Layer exists between these extremes. Within such transport layers, functions are performed that are needed to coordinate the transfer of data, which may have been sent over diverse physical links, for distribution to higher-level processes.
Within the transport layer, a communication system coordinates numerous messages (such as packets) that each belong to a particular “flow” or grouping of such messages. Each message may be identified by its association with a particular flow identification key (flow key), which in turn is typically defined by information about the endpoints of the communication. Transport layer processing is generally performed by processing modules which will be referred to as transport layer terminations (TLTs), which manage data received from remote TLTs (or being transmitted to the remote TLTs) according to a set of rules defined by the transport layer protocol (TLP) selected for each particular flow. A TLT examines each message that it processes for information relevant to a flowstate that defines the status of the flow to which the message belongs, updates the flowstate accordingly, and reconstitutes raw received data on the basis of the flowstate into proper form for the message destination, which is typically either a remote TLT or a local host. Flows are typically bidirectional communications, so a TLT receiving messages belonging to a particular flow from a remote TLT will generally also send messages belonging to the same flow to the remote TLT. Management of entire flows according to selected TLPs by maintaining corresponding flowstates distinguishes transport layer processing from link level processing, which is generally concerned only with individual messages.
There are many well-known TLPs, such as Fibre Channel, SCTP, UDP and TCP, and more will likely be developed in the future. TLPs typically function to ensure comprehensible and accurate communication of information to a target, such as by detecting and requesting retransmission of lost or damaged messages, reorganizing various messages of a flow into an intended order, and/or providing pertinent facts about the communication to the target. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is probably the best-known example of a TLP, and is extensively used in networks such as the Internet and Ethernet applications. TCP is a connection-oriented protocol, and information about the state of the connection must be maintained at the connection endpoints (terminations) while the connection is active. The connection state information includes, for example, congestion control information, timers to determine whether packets should be resent, acknowledgement information, and connection identification information including source and destination identification and open/closed status. Each active TCP connection thus has a unique connection ID and a connection state. A TCP. “connection” is an example of the more general TLP concept that is termed “flow” herein, while TCP “connection ID” and “connection state” are examples of the more general TLP concepts referred to herein as “flow key” and “flowstate,” respectively. The flow key may be uniquely specified by a combination of the remote link (destination) address (typically an Internet Protocol or “IP” address), the remote (destination) TCP port number, the local link (source) address (also typically an IP address), the local (source) TCP port number, and in some cases a receiver interface ID. It may also be useful to include a protocol indication as part of the general flow key, in order to distinguish flows that have otherwise identical addressing but use different TLPs.
Data communications can also occur in many layers other than the classic transport layer. For example, iSCSI communications occur at layers above the transport layer, yet the communications include stateful messages belonging to a flow and are thus analogous, in some ways, to transport layer communications.
There is a constant demand for higher data rates for data communications systems, as computers are increasingly linked both locally (e.g., over local area networks) and over wide areas (e.g., over the Internet). In order to achieve higher data rates, commensurately faster processing is needed for stateful protocols in transport layers and elsewhere. Faster hardware, of course, may be able to proportionally increase processing speeds. However, hardware speed increases alone will not cost-effectively increase protocol processing speeds as quickly as desired, and thus there is a need for protocol processing systems that enable faster processing, for a given hardware speed, by virtue of their architecture and methods.